Method of making envelopes



R. I. RAPP METHOD OF MAKING ENVELOPES Original Filed Dec. 23, 1954 Jan.24, 1961 INVENTOR, i1 gmondllliapp, Q) BY mm,

5 AIM rn g United States Patent METHOD OF MAKING ENVELOPES Raymond I.Rapp, 1352 Vernon Road, Philadelphia, Pa.,

assignor of one-half to William R. Peterson, Philadelphia, Pa.

Original application Dec. 23, 1954, Ser. No. 477,317, now Patent No.2,847,915, dated Aug. 19, 1958. Divided and this application June 3,1957, Ser. No. 663,249

1 Claim. (Cl. 93-63) The object of the invention is to provideimprovements in the method of producing commercial or industrialenvelopes and in the resulting product, it being understood that theterm envelopes applies likewise to such base as the invention may beapplicable to, this application being a division of Patent No.2,847,915, issued August 19, 1958.

During recent years, there has developed an increasing number ofentities, whether persons, firms, corporations or associations, thatmail such large quantities of similar pieces of envelope mail (asdistinguished from parcel post, newsprint, periodicals and the like),that the number of pieces for a given entity runs into the millionsannually, wherefore a combination of correlated details and steps in themethod of production, perforation, printing, filling or stuifing, andsealing can save several dollars per thousand in labor and materials,with commensurate reduction in overhead and increased speed of handlingand delivery.

Such envelope mail may comprise periodical bills, advertising matter,samples, notices, statements, reports, etc., and which for a givensender seldom if ever runs the same from day to day over a monthly,quarterly, or other given period, due to its being generally desirableto start and complete a given mailing within a given day or otherrelatively short period, since it is usually desirable if not actuallynecessary to have it all carry the same date, and be substantiallyup-to-date when received.

Another object is to provide a method of envelope manufacture, thatcomprises an initial single web of double-envelope Width, completelyperforating and sprocket-punching the same, printing as desired,applying one or more types of adhesive as hereinafter referred to,folding the double width to single envelope width, then securing as bygluing along a certain edge, addressing, bursting, stuffing and sealingfor mailing, as hereinafter referred to in detail.

With the objects of the invention thus briefly set forth, the inventioncomprises further details of construction and arrangement, such as arefully described in the following specification, when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview showing diagrammatically an illustrative arrangement of suitableapparatus for carrying out the improved method in which a single web oftwice the transverse width of the finished envelope is perforated,folded transversely upon a central longitudinal fold-line, and thentreated as described in said parent application, Serial No. 477,317;Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the double width web before and afterbeing folded. Fig. 3 is a plan view of an ordinary adhesive-applyingroll; Fig. 4

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is a similar view of the thermosetting adhesive-applying roll; Fig. 5shows diagrammatically how the unsealed open top of an individualenvelope is run between an electrically heated roll and a platten rollto seal the same for mailing; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of thesame.

Referring to the drawings, a web 10 is shown as being unwound from aroll 11, and then passed between a pair of perforating rolls 12 and 13,then between a printing roll 14 and a rotary platten 15, then over aglue-applying roll 16 below a rotary platten 17, after which said web isfolded transversely at 18 about its central longitudinally extendingline of fold-defining perforations, and beneath a pair of pressure rolls19 and 20, by which the now parallel half-webs are secured togetheralong the strips of glue or other adhesive. This resulting double-thickweb 25 is then printed, bursted or separated from its fellows, filled orstuffed, and sealed.

The original web 10 is provided with a central line of fold-definingperforations 22, and also slightly spaced from the opposite sidesthereof with parallel rolls 23 of severance perforations, to providemarginal strips 25, in each of which is a row of sprocket perforations26. The laterally opposite edge portions of said web are provided withrows of severance perforations 27 and two marginal rows of sprocketperforations 28, while still another row of longitudinal severanceperforations 29 are provided, and also longitudinally spaced transverserows 30. The adhesive is applied by a roll 31, from the outercylindrical surface of which propect a pair of spaced flat-surfacedraised surfaces 32, connected at intervals by similar raised surfaces33. From an adhesive reservoir 34 and through a spreader 35, ordinaryadhesive of any desired kind is applied to the longitudinal andtransverse applying surface 32 and 33 of said distributing roll 16-31 bywhich said adhesive is applied to the strip areas 34 and inwardly of theperforations 28, and also to transverse strip areas 35 upon the forwardside of the lines of perforations 30, said web being propelled by asuitable sprocket wheel in engagement with the sprocket perforations 28in well known manner. By means of a second roll 36 havingcircumferentially spaced transversely extending raised surfaces 37 apreferably different type of adhesive or potential adhesive, such as oneof the thermosetting type is applied to the forward edge area 30 of eachenvelope unit immediately to the rear of each transverse row ofperforations 30 by which the envelopes are bursted or separated.

After each separate envelope has been filled or stuffed, it is runbetween a platten roll 38 and. an electrically heated roll 39 (Figs. 5and 6), so as to thereby seal the envelope for mailing. In this manneris provided an improved method and resulting product, that lends itselfnicely to the demands of mass production and the mailing of manydifferent types of mailable matter, as hereinbefore referred to, andwhich is both economical and fully satisfactory for use with automaticmailing equip ment of any suitable type.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent of the United States is:

The method of making and sealing an envelope, which consists inperforating an initially double-width web longitudinally to define itsopposite side edges and transversely upon the opposite sides of acentral fold line of perforations, applying strips of active adhesive toat least one of the webs adjacent to the half webs laterally oppositelongitudinal edges and along transverse strips adjacent to and forwardlyof said transverse perforations, applying an initially inactivethermosetting potentially adhesive medium along a transverse strip of atleast one of said webs adjacent to and rearwardly of each of saidfirstmentioned transverse perforations, folding said half-webstransversely along said fold line of perforations until they are inparallel relation, so that said half-webs are secured together alongrectangular strips forwardly of the now registering transverseperforations and along strips upon their laterally opposite edges,separating the resulting envelope units along said transverseperforations, and after filling the individual envelopes bringing theiropen top edges together and applying heat thereto to effect a sealing bythe thermosetting medium.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

